sinne liuing so inconsideratly securely and confidentlie as you doe thinke and verily perswade your selues making no doubt that the diuine wrath iudgement shal descend from heauen vpon the suddaine vnlooked for and more swift then the lightning Alas how many vppon the suddaine haue fallen downe dead which could not so much as say Iesu helpe me Alas how many by negligence and sloath haue perished which neuer thinking of their ends haue liued in all kinde of concupiscence and voluptuous delightes when they saide peace and securitie there came a suddaine destruction vpon them saieth S. Paul 1. Tim. 3. Man knoweth not his end but as fishes are taken with the hooke and birdes with the net so are men taken in the time of persecution when there shall come vppon them a suddaine destruction Eccl. 9. O you my Brethren and sisters sinners looking into your soules and beholding the imminencie of your present danger thinke some thing of your ends consider o you vnfortunate and miserable wretches the vncertainty of your liues consider the perpetual torments which are prepared for sinners in hell consider o you lost soules that you must once come to the point of death consider that your delights shal haue an end your pompes honours glorie and whatsoeuer else wherin you tooke sensual delight and you your selues shall perish die and become as nothing and your soules themselues shall be drawne and separated from your impure filthy loathsome bodies wherby you haue so heinouslie impiouslie offended your God To Christ therfore o yee sinners to Iesus Christ o yee obdurate soules draw neare and haue recourse to him God calleth you by my penne by that liuely blood of Christ O sinners by the virtue and force of the loue and mercie of God I beseech you and speake vnto you in these wordes Come ô you sinners death draweth nere but Iesus Christ died for you that you might liue for euer Come ô you sinners vnto Iesus for the diuell is at hand to throw you into hell Turne you to Christ who calleth you by the sound of my Trumpet lest he reiect and vtterly condēne you with the sound of his seuere and bitter sentence at the day of iudgement Woe to you ô sinners woe I say vnto you if you refuse to heare the sound of this Trumpet whereby the diuine clemency calleth you from sinne and perdition vnto repentance and saluation O you my Brethren sinners how cometh it to passe that your hartes are not mollified but are deafe dumbe at this sound God graunt that you be not of the nūber of those of whom it is written they haue obdurated their faces more hard thē the rocke and they would not be conuerted Of the fearful signes which shall apeare before the day of iudgement by the consideration whereof many sinneful soules may be saued which otherwise might perish THE XXIV CHAPTER ANd there shall be signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres in the earth distresse of nations for the confused sound of the waues of the sea mens hartes fayling them for feare and expectation of those thinges which shall come vpon the whole world Luc. 21.25 And I wil make wonders in heauen and in earth blood and fire and vapour of smoake the sunne shall be turned into darknes and the moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord doth come Ioel. 2.30 O vnhappy sinners if you would but settle your cogitations vpon these horrible thinges and prodigious signes I doe not doubt but that with feare and terrour at the very consideration of them your stony hartes would cleaue a Sunder What when you shall see the sunne obscured the moone turned into blood the starres obfuscated and seeming to fall from heauen the earth to be moued and tremble the sea to rage mountaines to breake and fall a sunder and to be leuelled with the vallies dumbe creatures so affrighted as to runne here and there Lions to roare Beares to make a hideous noise Wolfes to houle and other wilde beasts terrible to sight by the motion of the earth to come out of theire dennes and caues Dragons and Birdes to flie vp and downe the aire who would not be astonished for feare and dissolued with horrour O humane miserie what shall be come of thee What a terrour will it be to see and heare in the fearfull day of iudgement these strange signes and vnheard of wonders And there shall be a great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world euen to this day saieth our Lord by S. Mathew Math. 24.21 I will not omit ô sinners to soūd my Trumpett in your eares that I may rouse you out of the deepe sleepe of your sinnes being moued with a vehement desire of your saluation and incited by the loue of my deare Sauiour Iesus woe bee vnto you if you stoppe your eares at the sound thereof but most happy if you attend and giue eare vnto it which is sent forth for the saluation of your poore distressed soules Many signes there are which shall goe before the day of iudgement but fifteene only are remēbred by S. Hierom. The 1. signe is that the sea shall transcend the mountaines fourtie cubits The 2. signe the same sea shal descēd in such a lownesse as that it shall hardly be perceaued The 3. signe All the vnreasonable creatures especially they that liue in the sea shall be gathered together into lakes and pooles there to lament their desolation The 4. signe The sea and all waters shall burne The 5. signe All trees and herbes shall droppe blood The 6. signe Al the foules of the ayre shall be gathered together sending forth cries and lamentations and abstaining from their vsual meate drinke The 7. signe All houses statelie buildinges which are in the world shall be ruinated to the ground The 8. signe Lightnings and firie dartes shall flie from the west towardes the east threatning the heauens and striking feare and astonishment into the whole world The 9. signe The stones shall contend amongst them selues and in their conflict shall be broken The 10. signe Earthquakes throughout all partes of the world shall be so great that neither man nor beast shall be able to stād on their feete The 11. signe All the mountaines shall be turned into dust The 12. signe All creatures shall leaue their caues dennes and being possest with a kinde of madnes shall wander abroad The 13. signe in all places the graues and toombes shall be opened and the bones of all the dead shall stand vpright vppon their graues The 14. signe The starres shall fall from heauen The 15. signe Euery thing that is endued with life shall be chaunged as well beasts as men as vpon the suddaine those men that now dy together with them that haue died since the creation of the world shall be reuiued and liue againe Fearfull signes they be ô sinner which I relate vnto thee receaue
a sleepe in vices iniquities neither wretch that thou art doest thou take notice of the troubled state of the shippe the church exposed to the danger of shipwrack for thy sinnes on all sides tossed with turbulent windes and stormes of most cruell enemies Arise vnhappy soule I say not the Master or pilot of the shippe but thy poore Brother who beinge touched with a desire of the helth of thy soule and of all other sinners for the loue of him who shewed such great mercy towardes me that called me from the sleepe in which I did lie I say vnto thee wherefore doest thou lie opprest with sleepe sleepe no longer awake oh sinnefull and wicked wretch now is the time to thinke with thy selfe what miseries are imminent now implore the diuine ayde and mercy Si fort◠recogitet de nobis vt non pereamus Ion. 1.6 if perhappes he will thinke of vs that we may not perish Arise now with the holy Prophet Dauid saying Illumina oculos meos Psal 12.5 lighten mine eyes lest I should sleepe in death lest that mine enemies should say I haue preuailed against him There are some which snorte are sound a sleepe in their sinnes and there be some which be halfe awake they of the first sorte be such as daily sinne mortally and they are in continuall enmitie with God because as they that snorte sleepe soundly neither are they awaked of the sudden so they that are in mortall sinne are not easily raised out of the depth thereof But they of the second sorte sometimes they fall sometimes they rise againe out of their sinnes euen as he that slumbereth often sleepeth and often awaketh againe and this is the lesser euill although sometimes they are punished with noe lesser penaltie then they that are soūdlie a sleepe God almighty illuminate you that you may not sleepe slumber nor snorte in the depth of sinne as you haue done vntill now The Apostle prosecuteth this matter further saying Et exurge à mortuis and arise from the dead Beholde a greater danger wherby the soule is endamaged by sinning for after that a soule for some time hath slept in sinne it is more negligent in the exercise of good workes and is so dulled and in disposed that it seemeth to be dead For as the body without the soule is dead so a soule is dead without God as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule know yee deare Brethren that there is noe dead carcase so stinkinge or hath a more loathsome smell in the sense of man as a soule dead in sinne hath in the nostrills of almighty God There is an example at hād in the liues of the holy Fathers of an Angell that did accompanie an Anachoret to make him vnderstand something of the diuine iudgements These in the way as they iournied foūd a dead body the Angel passing by made noe signe of any offensiue smell but proceeding further they met with a certaine comely yōg man richly inuested bearing about him strong parfumes at the sight of whome the Angell forthwith stopped his nostrills at which thing the Anchoret wonderinge he demaunded the reason wherfore he should stoppe his nose at that comely yong man wel cloathed and sending forth acceptable smells and immmediatly before made no such signe at the dead body because said the Angell youth loaden with sinne stinketh more odiously then a putrified body I am fetet now he stinketh saith Martha of her Brother Lazarus Ioan. 11.39 oh my my Brother sinner how grieuouslie doest thou stinke in the nostrils of God the Angels the Saints in heauen Et illuminabit te Christus Christ shall enlighten thee behold another greeuous effect and detriment that sinne bringeth vpō the soule Oh blinded sinners which perceaue not the resplendant lustre and light of diuine grace Et confestim ceciderunt ab oculis eius tanquam squamae visum recepit Act. 9.18 and presently there fel from his eyes as it were scales and he receaued his sight saieth S. Luke in the acts of the Apostles speaking of the conuersion of Saul Oh sinner persecutor of Iesus Christ I would to God thou couldest see with what great scales thy eyes are couered which doe hinder blinde thy sight Oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram Psal 16.11 they haue determined to decline their eyes towardes the earth sinners haue made a compact with the diuell to haue their eyes alwaies fastned vppon the earth Oh blinded sinners that Iesus might illuminate your eyes he would permit his diuine eyes to be ridiculously couered shamfully blindfolded How ignorant and blind art thou oh ambitious man which doest so stedfastly fix thine eyes vpon the vanishinge shadow of vaine glory Oh thou couetous man how blinde art thou to whom a lump of dust earth seemeth an incomparable treasure How blinde art thou oh luxurious man to whom a stinking carcase seemeth so pretious a thing Oh intemperate mā how blinde art thou to whom transitorie pleasures seeme soe sweete and inestimable Oh all yee sinners how blinde are you that you cannot perceaue and see your great detriment and eminent danger oh my Iesu illuminate I beseeche thee these blinded sinners that they may take notice of their errours in which they are soe miserablie inuolued graunt them to repent for theire crimes and offences and to turne vnto thee with all their hartes the sweete fountaine of eternall life and happines Amen That a soule by sinne looseth the friendship of God THE IX CHAPTER SI consideremus fratres charissimi qua quanta sunt quae nobis promittuntur in coelis vilescerent animo omnia quae habentur in terris Oh dear Brethren if you would truly consider what and how great thinges are promised and prouided for you in heauen all things vppon earth would seme contemptible and base vnto you saith S. Gregorie I am not determined at this present to speake of the great losse which sinne bringeth vpon the soule in the life to come seeing that I purpose hereafter to take a more oportune occasion but now I wll intimate only what and how great a thing it is that a soule looseth by sinne in this life In maleuolam animam non intrabit sapientia wisedome shall not enter into a malignant soule saieth the scripture Wisd 1.4 behold the first shipwracke of a sinnefull soule is the want of the taste of true knowledge for although a sinful soule is endued with an excellent vnderstāding yet is it depriued of the comfortable tast of the scriptures and neuer hath the gust of the sweetnes thereof But this is nothing in respect of that which it looseth for the soule of a sinner is depriued of the friendship and amitie of God which farre exceedeth all other thinges Be wife now therefore oh yee sinners and know how pretious a iewell you loose heare mee I beseech you Soe long as a soule is void of sinne it
be not carefull in time to preuent Such like words shall the damned soules vtter when by the diuine power all the dispersed ashes of their bodies shall be gathered together and rising out of their loathsome graues shall be reunited to their accursed soules This being done they shall be presented before the iudge by the tormenting diuels that so they may be accursed and condemned together But now sinners to leaue so pittiful and horrible consideratiōs let vs come to the contemplation of the blessed soules in paradise the very cogitation wherof is sufficient to stirre vp your mindes and affections to embrace practice virtues and to shunne and forsake vices O how delectable and pleasant a sight shall it be to behould so many blessed soules descending from heauen as glorious as the sunne in his ful beautie that vpon the earth they may receaue their bodies O ioyfull spectacle There shall appeare the soule of the great precursor S. Iohn Baptist most resplendāt with the beames of glorie that it may receaue her dispersed and scattered ashes There shall appeare S. Peter and S. Paul the two chiefe pillars of holy church with all the other blessed Apostles Here shall bee seen the soules of the Patriarkes there of holie Martyrs and Confessors as so manie sunnes starres shining in theyr glorie who singing prayses to allmighty God shall fill the ayre with heauenly Alleluiahs and shall come to theyr sepulchers in diuerse places and Countries of the earth to receaue theyr bodies endued with comlynes and glorie O worthie sighte those blessed soules shall come accompanied with Angels as contrariwise the damned soules with diuels but especiallie with theyr Angell Guardians who hauing defended and protected them in this life at theyr happie state and condition are filled with all ioy and heauenlie delight Euerie one then of theise blessed Angells shall speake vnto his most happie soule which he hath protected Come o soule blessed of the most holie Trinitie whom with al thy power thou hast serued come and take againe this thy bodie that together with it thou maist bee made partaker of celestiall ioyes O what a sight shall it bee to see at Rome the two most beautifull soules of S. Peter and S. Paul comming to theyr sepulchers that they may resume their most famous reliques with a companie of so manie blessed Angels Then shall the Angells happie soules themselues speake vnto their bodies in these wordes or the like Alas poore bodies of ours which haue lyen so long time in the dust without your reward arise for now is the time that you must bee reunited vnto vs and receaue the reward of so manie molestations greifes and labors which you haue suffered come hither my feet which haue gone bare so manie iourneies for the loue of God come hither my handes which for the loue of Iesus Christ haue performed so manie good deedes come hither my tounge which hast been dailie preaching of the praises of God and teaching others to conforme themselues to his most holie will come my bellie which hast so often fasted and abstained from meats come my loynes which haue borne cordes chaines for the loue of Iesus come my whole bodie which diuerse times hast mortified and subdued thy selfe with hayr-cloaths whippings scourges and other soare torments for the loue of thy Sauiour for now is the time wherin thou must receaue the recompence of these labors and sufferinges O what a glorious sight will it bee to behould throughout the whole world especiallie at Rome so great a number of Saints bodies arising in such wonderful splendour brightnes O thrise happie then are they which haue runne the race of their life in the path of vertue And if perhaps through humane frailtie they did fall without delay they rose againe doeing also pennance for the same These shall bee of that most blessed and glorious number What sayest thou now ô sinner wilt thou any longer harden thy hart and stoppe thine eares at the sound of my Trumpett wilt thou still persist in thy lewd and vngodly courses woe woe bee vnto thee if thou doest so for by theise meanes thou shalt come to bee of the number of those miserable dāned soules from which God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy deliuer thee Amen Of the comming of the Iudge to iudgement and of the great feare which his cōming will strike into the hartes of sinners THE XXVI CHAPTER WHen the sonne of man shall come in his maiestie and all his Angels with him Then shall hee sitt vpon his throne of maiestie and all nations shall bee gathered together before him Math. 25.31 Alas sinners returne forsake your sinnes and accustomed vices remēber that you must bee iudged of almightie God whom by your lewd liues you haue offended cōsider now at length that after that the angels shall come to cal together all the dead with the sound of a Trumpett the dead shall rise and shall bee gathered together in the valley of Iosaphat and in the neere adioyning places the damned standing on the earth but the elect remaining in the ayre in excellent claritie and brightnes And last of all the iudge shall appeare in the same ayre who shall descend frō heauen accompanied with his most deare and louing mother attended of all the celestiall quire of Angels Consider the ensigne of the holie Crosse that shall goe before him with all the other trophies of his victorious death and passion which shall bee carried by the holie Angels partlie that they may bee an euident testimonie against all sinners and partly that they shew the lawfullnes of the sentence which the iudge shall pronounce against the damned and partlie to encourage and comforte all good men which by their force vertue shal bee saued And then sayeth our Lord shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heauen and our holy mother the church singeth this signe of the Crosse shall bee in heauen when our Lord shall come to iudgement O wonderfull spectacle neuer seen in the world before this most holie signe of the Crosse shall shine farre more bright then six hundred sunnes adorned with an innumerable company of celestiall colours ô happie and thrise happie are they who shall behould that crosse with ioyfull countenance but contrariwise most miserable shall bee the reprobate which against their willes shal be forced to see the same to their great griefe and sorrow O what ioy and pleasure shal vertuous men haue at the presence therof and what excessiue lamētations shall wicked and sinnefull men make when they see the same with what alacrity shal S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Paul S. Bartholomew and all the holie Apostles looke vpon that glorious wodde of the crosse S. Benedict S. Charles S. Dominicke S. Francis S. Clare saint Cecilie sainte Catharine Marie Magdalen and all the other holie Virgins and Matrones with what gladnes will they behould it Alas o wicked and cruell Pilat which condemnedst
vngodly maner of liuing There be two thinges sinners that God doâ—h not remember to wit sinnes and good workes if one hath liued wel thirty or fourtie yeares and hath serued God with much feruour of spirit and maceration of his body with fastings watchings disciplines or other such acts and at last should sinne and decline from his former institution and manner of liuing God blotteth out of his memorie all his former good workes and meritorious actes and if he die in such a state he is for euer plunged into the pitt of perdition On the other side if any one hath liued thirty or fourtie yeares in sinnes be they neuer so great and at the last should be penitent and sorrowfull for them God will forgett them all were they as redd as scarlett he will make them as white as snow and dying in that estate without all doubt he should be made participante of the perpetuall ioyes of heauen The former ought to strike great feare trembling and terrour into the good but the latter much confidence hope trust into the wicked Therfore I beseech you and entreat you deare Brethren sinners for Gods sake and the honour and loue of him that died for you that you would leaue sinning be conuerted vnto your clement Redeemer not any longer to abuse his mercies but to giue his diuine maiestie infinite thankes for his long suffering expecting euen vntill this instaÌ„t of your amendment and conuersion and who is alwaies prepared fatherly to receaue you if euer by amendement of life you shall returne home vnto him Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Psal 31.6 I said I will confesse against my selfe mine iniustice vnto our Lord and thou hast forgiuen the impietie of my sinne saieth the holy Prophet Dauid who is he oh BrethreÌ„ that would abuse this so great benignitie of God doe it not doe it not doe it not for Iesus Christ his loue and bitter passion who died vpon the crosse for you but turne your selues vnto so louing and fatherly a God which doth not only expect but also draw you that he might pardon free and redeeme you from sinne death and hell A lasse oh yee fooles wherefore do you any longer defer it Sweet Iesu Christ looke downe vppon these blinded wretches and infuse into their soules the light of grace which may bring them to the participation of thy glorie which for thy mercie and much suffering vouchsafe to make theÌ„ capable of that they may die to liue with thee eternally Amen That man may easily sinne but cannot of himselfe rise from thence THE XII CHAPTER SIne me nihil potestis facere Ioan. 15.5 without me yee can doe nothing and in another place Nemo potest venire ad me c. Ioan. 6.44 no man can come vnto mee vnlesse my Father who hath sent mee shall draw him therfore the spouse in the canticles cried out Draw me after thee Cantic 1.3 Now therfore oh sinner it is no smal euill that thou doest incurre by sinning seeing thou hast power to fall and that it is in thy free will to sinne or not but being once fallen canst not of thy owne forces rise againe without the assistance of diuine grace Tel mee I pray thee speaking of thy body that by all probability immediatlye after foote set vppon ground thou shouldest fall how careful wouldest thou bee in walking what diligeÌ„ce wouldest thou vse for the placing of thy feete for the auoyding of danger and if thou chance to fall how willingly wouldest thou imitate the asse which with great difficulty iâ— drawne that way where hee foâ—merly receued any hurt The case is the same oh sinner in respect of thy soule in the next moment thou art ready to fall dangerouslie in so much that thou hast not power and abilitie to rise againe what care oughtest thou to haue then in ordering thy footsteps what vnwillingnes to walke in that path againe in which formerly thou hast receaued so great hurt and danger But thou neglecting this perhaps wilt say God will helpe me True it is thou maiest hope and it is good that thou trust confide in his diuine assistance but with this hope there must be ioyned an holie feare to offend or sinne against so great a maiestie for otherwise thou shalt much aggrauate thy crime and delict and procure the displeasure of so benigne and louing a Father But who hath or can assure thee that the effectuall helpe of God will alwaies be at hand to assist thee Hee can doe or omitt this as it shall be thought fitt by his diuine prouidence and therefore thou hast great reason carefully and prudently to institute thy life to shunne and abandon all obiects and occasions that may any way distract or hinder thee from the vnion of so mighty powerfull a Lord. Furthermore wheÌ„ as God hath administred vnto thee ofteÌ„times his diuine helpe and raised thee vp againe but thou continuing in vices and still with the dogge returning to thy former vomit it may be I say then he will leaue thee as long as that sentence of thy damnation may be pronounced in heauen thou art neuer secure why therefore doest thou studie as I may say to sinne and to prouoke the diuine goodnes Leaue therfore Brother leaue I beseech thee by that life and pretious blood which Iesus Christ our Lord powred out for vs hanging vpon the holy wood of the crosse Brother sinne no more for assure thy selfe that so long as thou art polluted with the blemish of sinne thou art no other then an adulterate person and liable to eternall perdition Beholde vnfortunate soule if thou shouldest be in daunger to fal into some deepe lake or into the sea or any other depth or into the iawes of some cruel wilde beastes how vigilant and carefull wouldest thou bee for the auoyding of so great and imminent a perill and yet thou seemest nothing at all to feare or care for falling into hell out of which there is no redemption How good workes done in sinne doe perish and are of no merit THE XIII CHAPTER WHat dost thou not know that all thy good and meritorious acts and deeds shall not auaile thee any thing if thou but once sinne This only thing truly ought to be a sufficient motiue if thou wouldest admit it to thy serious cogitation to excite rouse thee vp to amendement and correction of thy life manners Vnderstand how great and ineffable the loue and benignitie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is towards vs vngratefull soules who hath ordained decreed for the least thing soeuer done in the honor of him to giue and make vs capable of heauen for one fasting for one mortification of the body for one almes for one penny giuen for the loue of him for one submission and inflexion of the body proceeding and tending to his glory for pronouncing only of the blessed name of Iesus if it be done with due
of his wife the wife all the faultes of her husband euery one shal haue his vices and disordered affectiōs plainely knowne O the iustice of almighty God which will discouer that which a sinner thought would haue beene for euer concealed Call to minde sinner what shame that will be for thee to be set before the eyes of the whole world to be seene of al both within and without Alas how many shall there be who whilst they liued in this world were reputed Saints were reuerenced of all for such but then shall be knowne to be farre otherwise How many treacherous and diuellish plottes how many adulteries and robberies shall openly be declared to the eyes of the whole worlde O my sweet Iesu which seest al thinges that descriest whatsoeuer is committed in priuat pardon sinners Iesu helpe them that doing pennance they may not be confounded with that last and great shame Iesu remember that thou art our Father our Lord God therfore forsake vs not but turne thine anger from vs suffer not the fire of thy wrath to consume vs Let not that perish Lord which is altogether thine Haue mercy vpon vs crying out vnto thee I haue strayed as a sheepe that is lost seeke thy seruant because I haue not forgotten thy law He hath forsaken mee and there is none that seeketh after my soule Psal 118. Many poore afflicted soules of sinners make such lamentations releeue and succour them Lord leaue them not who are thine they wholly giue vp themselues vnto thee they flie to thee for refuge they craue and looke for helpe of thee alone Alas sinners men and women without doubt our case is most miserable vnlesse we liue well and honestly and be conuerted vnto our Lord God seeing we yet receaue helpe wherupon if we perish it is our owne faultes The Saints the Angels the church yea heauen earth and euery thing else is ready to helpe vs the Blessed Virgin Mary is ready to succour vs our sweet Iesus to releiue vs and in a word the Blessed Trinity is prepared to defend vs whose wee are of whom we are created and preserued God doth lift vs vp but we cast our selues downe procuring to our selues our owne damage and withall the infernall pitt of hell God would haue vs be saued our Lord Iesus Christ died for vs all he is the propitiation for our sinnes saith S. Iohn not only for ours but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Iohn 2. Therfore sinners if we be damned we can giue no lawfull excuse it is our owne mischiefe and we are the cause beginning of our owne destruction Alas therfore brethrē sisters let vs shunne and detest our former vices which if we cannot doe at the first for the loue of God which we ought to beare towards him as a Father yet at the least let vs doe it to auoide the shame which will otherwise befall vs before the whole world in the day of iudgement And thus doing I hope at last we shall be brought to forsake them for the loue of God ô heauenly consideration ô frutefull and profitable contemplation I could wish that thou wert engrauen in the hartes of all men for surely thou wouldest be then a great helpe to miserable and wretched soules which now are like to be damned by theire owne foolish madnes O sinnefull man what doest thou what thinkest thou whither goest thou why doest thou hasten with such speed vnto thy destruction ruine and damnation show them a way ô Lord that so great a number of them may not perish preserue Christiā soules from destruction seeing that so many Turkes heretikes and other infidels are daily damned who obstinatly refuse to acknowledge the truth of the holie Catholique church But there is a meanes found out alreadie Christian Bretheren and sisters which stil remaine in your sinnes If you will enter into life keepe the commaundements Math. 19.17 you know you are commaunded of God to lead a life worthy and beseeming Christian profession to abstaine from sinne and flie the apearance of euil to loue vertue and embrace godlines God almighty graunt that we all may performe this that our soules in the day of accompt may be saued Amen Of the fearfull sentence which Iesus Christ will pronounce at the day of iudgement blessed and happy are they who seriously ponder it in their hartes and soules for this is the most compendious way to forsake sinne and to turne vnto God THE XXVIII CHAPTER THen shall the King say to those that are on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 There are two things which may moue and excite you sinners to forsake your enormous crimes and vices and with an vnfained repentāce to returne to your God One is the consideration of the blessinge which the good shall haue the other is the pondering of the fearfull sentence that Iesus Christ shal pronounce against the damned to the good he shall say Come yee blessed of my Father inheritt the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world But to the wicked Goe into euerlastinge fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angells the one shall be called to a paradise of pleasures the other shall be sent into a lake of torments Nothing is more glorious or beautifull then paradise nor any thing more horrible and loathsome then hell nothing more delightsome then heauen nothing more detestable then hell therfore sinner consider well of these two such contrarie places Thinke of heauen that forsaking sinne and doing pennance thou mayest come to enioy the vnspeakable pleasures of it Thinke of hell and learne soe to order thy life that desisting from thy former courses thou mayest escape the grieuous punishments of the same Wise sinners and blessed are they who chaunge their ill maners forsake their lewed courses and satisfy for their misdeeds for at their death they shall be saued but miserable are those who giue themselues ouer to the filthy lustes of the flesh and with greedines doe commit all sinne for they after this life shall finde no redresse Happy are those who striue here to adorne their soules with virtues for in the day of iudgement they shall finde mercy and obtaine euerlasting ioyes but wretched are they who followinge the pleasures of this world dye in their sinnes for in the great day of their visitation they shall be perpetually damned And they that haue done good saieth S. Athanasius shall go into life euerlasting they that haue done ill into euerlasting fire Happy are the good to whom God of his bounty will giue the treasures of heauen miserable the wicked whose portion shall bee with the diuells in torments of hell O hard hart which art not moued with these thinges O impietie of a sinner who doeth not thinke of these thinges and by harty cōtritiō returne vnto God! thou hast but one poore soule
sinner and that in the day of iudgement shall either be cursed or blessed of God shall either ascend into heauen to liue for euer in the companie of Saints Angels or else descend into hell to be punished for all eternity with the company of the damned spirits If thou be wise thou wilt be wise for thy selfe saith Salomon Prou. 9.10 Thou wilt be wise sinner if thou detest and hate sinne and turne to God Thou wilt be foolish and worse then madd if in continuing in thy wickednesse thou forgett thy Creator Alas what a number of peruerse and madd fooles are there who are hardly corrected There is an infinite number of fooles Eccles 1.15 Wretched sinners how sottish haue you beene and yet still remaine so which for a small temporall pleasure like a shadow quickly vanishing you loose so great a substance of eternal good Consider sinners that there is no day nor howre nor moment of time passeth but many millions of soules such as yours are descend thicke into hell The sinner hath giuen vp himselfe to a spirituall kinde of sluggishnes not taking any care for his saluation he cōsidereth not that death is present euery howre and moment to giue him a mortall stroake Alas how many haue gone to bedd at night and neuer arose againe in the morning cōsider consider sinners your last endes which are not farre from you How fareth it with thee ô sinner in what case is thy poore soule full of vices and hainous crimes couered ouer with darknes in the diuels possession fast bound with many strong chaines that now thou maiest cry out with the Prophet I am wrapt round about with the cordes of sinners Psal 118. although thou canst not say that which followeth and I haue not forgotten thy law But let vs returne to the terrible and fearfull sentence which Christ Iesus will pronounce against the damned ponder and seriously consider it imprint it in your harts that it may be a spurre and incitement vnto you for the following of vertue and auoyding of vice meditate vpon that saying of worthy S. Hierome a man admirable in sanctity and holines of life Whether I sleepe saieth he or wake whether I eate or drinke write or read sitte or walke that terrible speech alwaies seemeth to sound in my eares arise yee dead and come to iudgement if men of such innocency and integrity of life so much feared that horrible day what will you doe miserable and blinde sinners against whom the sentence of condemnation is to be pronounced My God sweet Sauiour giue that power to my penne seing it is wanting to my toung that this short and rude woorke of mine written without elegancy of wordes and that the sound of these my Trumpets may so moue the hartes and mindes of those that shall read and heare them that at length they may forsake their former courses and fully resolue with themselues to turne to their Creator and Redeemer My God and sweet Sauiour since it hath pleased thee to inspire mee with thy heauenly grace to set forth this my poore labour for the saluation of poore soules redeemed with thy moste pretious blood graunt mee that fauour that I may awake sinners by this my writing and sound of my Trumpets from the lethargie of vices to the glory of thy name and saluation of their soules My God and sweet Sauiour for thy mercies sake suffer not I beseech thee this my labour to be read or these my shrill Trumpets to be heard of any sinner without profit and commoditie but that the noyse of them may force the diuell to tremble and the powers of hell to shake Bretheren sinners if you shall perceaue your hartes to be moued with their sound I pray you despise contemne or resist it not but thankfully acknowledge that motion and heauenly inspiration to be from God who calleth you out of his tender mercy Returne to God sinners men and women death is at hand and yet God as a kinde and louing Father by the sound of these Trumpetts gently calleth you Awake out of your deepe sleepe of sinnes wherin you haue beene buried so manie yeares and make him an answere Sinners our most mercifull Lord sendeth forth this sound both pleasant and harsh of mine or rather his Trumpetts that it may be for the good and saluation of your soules I pray God it may obtaine the end for which it was intended Pray for me and I will not cease to be mindefull of you all Amen Of the going and departure of the damned to hell in the company of all the diuells THE XXIX CHAPTER ANd they shall goe into euerlasting punishment but the iust into euerlasting life Math. 25.46 They that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life they that haue done ill to the resurrection of iudgement saieth S. Iohn Ioh. 5.29 Sinners stay here awhile and fasten your soules vpon the cogitation of that horrible spectacle and seriously consider how the damned persons goe downe into the darke pitt of destruction with fearful howling and lamentation in the company of innumerable forlorne diuells O fearfull thing whose terrour is able to breake and cleaue in peeces the hardest marbles yet nothing at all moueth the harte of man O the misery of humane nature which is not rent a sunder with so pittifull a spectacle Sinner consider that as soone as those wretched soules shall haue the sentence of condēnation pronounced against them the earth shall cleaue in sunder and all the diuels and damned spirits shall be swallowed vp in one gulfe and be throwne downe into the obscure abisse of hell O terrible and mourneful night when weeping and gnashing of teeth and wofull lamentations of forlorne soules now reunited to theire bodies shall continue for euer O miserable disiunction and diuision the husband shall bee separated from the wife the daughter from the mother when the one shall go to heauen a place replenished with all good the other into hell a place of all torments O God of all mercy open the eyes of blinde and obstinate sinners who neuer trouble their mindes with thinking of either heauen or hell but only deuise how to wallow still in the filth of sinne Surge surge quidormis arise arise thou that sleepest Neglect not thine owne saluation that Christ may helpe thee Behould he calleth now by my penne he desireth to awake thee out of thy sleepe by the loud sound of my Trumpetts Qui fecit te sine te non saluabit te sine te saieth S. Augustine he that made thee without thee will not saue thee without thee but will that thou labour to thy power to dispose prepare thy selfe to ētertaine those wholesom coūsels and exhortations which he of his mercy offereth vnto thee Hereupon it is that God prouideth that his truth should be made knowne vnto thee by teachers that thou shouldest be admonished by confessors ghostlie Fathers hereupon he speaketh vnto thee by spirituall bookes and by
the scripture that thou mayest harken and giue diligent eare vnto him This if thou doe in his good time he will bestow that grace vpon thee if thou refuse not to receaue it which will enable the to forsake thy lewde course of liuing take heed sinner how thou behauest thy selfe for if thou stoppe thine eares at his cal and running away from him contemne his vocation he will turne away from thee and suffer thee to continue in thy miserable estate and condition and in that shalt thou die and so dying shalt be damned Alas who is there which would not be moued at this and willingly forsake a thousād worldes that hee might not loose God which if he would not doe for the loue of God at least hee would that he might not incurre the losse of so great a good as heauen or procure vnto himselfe so great a mischeife as is the obtaining of held The losse of heauen is no trifling matter or to go into hell is not of a small moment that a mā should not regard whither he come thither or no The damned shall goe yea bee cast downe headlong into hell with the accursed crue of infernall spirits and yee sinners vnlesse you doe pennance you shall all likewise perish the blessed shall be taken into paradise and if you amend your liues you shall be in the number of them The Saints shall enioy all kinde of good and you also if you will shall be made partakers with them The damned shall be cast into hell to bee tormented in euerlasting flames you except you alter your purposes and course of liuing shall be in the same number Good Lord what gladnes shall the blessed haue when they shall enter into heauen exulting and reioycing in the delightfull companie of sweet Iesus and his Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the Saints men and women Stay here a while sinners and behould this most beautifull companie and societie See how the heauens shine with light Heare the harmonie of celestiall hymnes giue care to the musicke of Angelicall voices behould the Saints leaping for ioy and gladnes about the throne of God see how Iesus Christ and his blessed Mother embrace and kindly receaue all the Saints Behould the Angels triumphing Harken to the quire of heauen singing most sweetly to the honour of Iesus and his Mother the B. Virgin O Iubilie ô gladnes ô mirth such as shall neuer be ended O excessiue ioy which shall neuer cease to be in the inhabitants of this paradise ô happy are you and happy againe you which are there all ready and you which hasten to come thither pray for vs you that haue your soules there that we may be made capable of your vnspeakable ioy and gladnes O heauenly Queen Mother of God O Marie my Ladie and Patronesse pray for me and all sinners that we by thy merits and intercession may deserue to bee reckoned in that blessed number praising and extolling thy God and ours for all eternity O powerfull God who hast created vs despise not our prayers gratiouslie heare our petitions and giue vs that grace that to thy honour and glory we may refraine from the filthines of sinne looke not vpon our manifolde misdeedes which wee haue committed nor vppon the innumerable iniuries wherewith we haue offended thy sacred Maiestie Goe to sinners and be of good courage Dulcis rectus est Dominus our Lord is sweet and righteous saieth the Psalmist Bonus est Dominus our God is God to them that trust in him to a soule that seeketh after him Endeauour sinners striue and labour so much as lieth in you that you may be assured of the mercies of God Misericordia Domini plena est terra the earth is full of the mercie of our God there is no created thing on the earth vnder heauen wherein the most gratious benignity of God doth not appeare and except we our selues be in fault we may be sure of saluation because of his parte he is willing to receaue all Deus vult omnes homines saluos fieri God will haue all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2. ◠Alas sinners purpose and resolue to forsake the world with all your hartes worship God who loueth you so dearly bestoweth so many benefits vpon you and still desireth to bestow farre greater vpon you Be not faint harted doubt not any thing haue recourse vnto Christ so soone as you can I dare be your surety to make you al which are obnoxious to sinne secure and safe if you desire indeede to come to Christ Iesus Come hither Brethren and sisters be not dismaied come to the most sweet amiable woundes of sweet Iesus come to crucified Iesus Doe you not see how he standeth with his armes stretched out to embrace you To Iesus Brethren sinners to Iesus sister sinners haue recourse to Iesus who neuer refuseth or reiecteth any come to Iesus full of loue who expecteth all calleth all thirsteth after all Hic peccatores recipit this Iesus receaueth sinners Luc. 15.2 Christ Iesus came to the world to saue sinners saith S. Paul O louing Iesu who wholy giuest thy selfe for sinners O vnthankefull sinner who belongest wholy to Iesus how great is thy mercy ô Iesu how great is thy benefit ô sinner Propter scelus populi mei percussi cum for the wickednes of my people haue I smitten him saieth the eternall Father of his sonne Isay 53.9 He bare our sinnes in his body vpon the wood saieth the same Prophet If then Iesus hath bestowed so many great benefits vpon a sinner and loueth him so tenderly whence is it sinners that you feare Iesus who is become your friend do him therfore no wrong sinner come forth to thy Iesus behould how he expecteth thee vpon the holy wood of the crosse his handes and feet being pierced through with sharpe nailes that he might giue thee hope and confidence to come vnto him Let this crucified Iesus be engrauen in my harte and in the soule of euery sinner that soe we may chaunge our liues and reforme our conuersations to our saluation and to the honour and glorie of the most holy Trinity the Father the Sonne the holie Ghost Amen The sixt Trumpett Of the dammage that sinne bringeth to a soule in hell and of the most grieuous punishmēts wherwith the damned are there tormented THE XXX CHAPTER ET sextus Angelus tubâ ceciuit And the sixt Angell blew his Trumpet Apoc. 8. Sinners giue care vnto the fearfull and terrible sound of this Trumpet and see whither it be of power to moue your soules O the misery of mans hart which destroyeth it selfe by its obstinacie and hardnesse and extolleth it selfe to the highest degree of mischiefe from whence there is noe hope of returning safe Behould in this world there is nothing more pleasing and delightsome to our fight then the light of the sūne so in the other world and in all the celestiall orbes yea if there were so
of these thinges Bretheren doe you not likewise perceaue a great delight comfort when you thinke vppon God doe you not consider when you meditate vpon terrestriall and created thinges referring them to God their creatour and efficient cause that you receaue a wonderfull sweet content from them O what a meditation is here for you to contemplate the fairenesse and largenesse of the Emperiall heauen O Israell Magna est domus Domini ingens locus possessionis eius c. O Israell saieth the Prophet great is the house of our Lord and large is the place of his possession he is great and hauing no end high and mightie Baruch 3.25 In domo Patris mei mansiones multa sunt In my Fathers house there are many mansions saieth our Lord Iesus Ioh. 14.2 O how many diuerse places and seats are there in heauen which the Saints enioy What is it then that now hindereth your will what letteth you that you cannot be inhabitants of that heauenly citie I am non estis hospites aduenae c. Ephes 2.19 You are not now pilgrims and strangers but you are the citizens with the Saints and domestickes with God Our mercifull Lord Iesus Christ sinners hath reckoned vs amongst the citizens of heauen by his bitter death and passion he hath made vs heires and coheires of a kingdome haeredes quidem Dei cohaeredes autem Christi heires truly of God but as coheires of Christ. Alas miserable wretches what mischiefe is it that depriueth you of so large and faire an inheritance sinne some small puffe or blast of pride some little delight of your polluted bodies some gredie desire or thirsting after humane affaires some light passion of hatred some foolish plotts to be reuenged accursed be all those sinnes which procure such losse and damage vnto vs as to depriue vs of heauen and of the beatifical visiō of the almightie of the most pleasant sight of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ and this is the portion which befalleth all the damned in hell O most louing Father O blessed Sonne of God and holy Ghost the comforter full of loue and charity for thy mercies sake suffer vs not to be depriued of those thy great and large promises permit not Lord God our mercifull Father Sonne and holie Ghost permit vs not to loose the ioyfull sight of that glory in the life to come and the comfort of thy grace in this life present Amen Of the fire of hell and the paines of sense which the damned doe suffer in the companie of diuells THE XXXI CHAPTER PRaeparata est enim ab heri Tophet c. for Tophet is prepared since yesterday of the King deepe and wide the nourishment thereof is fire much wood the breath of our Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it Isay 30.33 Goe to now sinner call to thy remembrance those grieuous punishments which thou shalt endure in hell vnlesse thou amend thy life And first of all consider that in hell there is a wonderful denowring fire euer burning and yet neuer consumeth those miserable damned Praeparata est ab heri It is prepared since yesterday that is from the beginning of the foundation of the world there is a place prepared which is called Tophet which signifieth a misleading or beguiling that is hell whither all the soules misled and beguiled by the world the flesh and the diuell presently resorte This Tophet and this hel God the King of Kinges hath prepared to reuenge and punish those execrable diuels all sinners together with thē Prosūdata c. It is deepe and vaste hell is large of great cōpasse saith the holy Prophet I say Nutrimentum eius c. the fuell of this place is fire wood and God with his breath doth cōtinually kindle and sett it on fire Whereupon sinners it is moste cleare that hell is a very darke place in the most inward deepest partes of the earth broade and wide and so ample that although soules should fall downe therin as fast as the raine vpon the earth yet would it neuer be filled In this place the fire allwaies burneth and without ceasing or intermission cruelly torments the diuells damned persons and will so torment and wofully burne them for euer The holy Doctors doe hould that this fire is corporall Ignem infernalem corporalem esse non ambigo saieth Saint Gregorie I doe not doubt but that the fire of hell is corporall And although no corporall thing hath power to worke on a spirituall thing naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power that fire which is corporall of the same nature with ours neuer ceaseth after a wonderfull manner to torment al the diuels which are pure spirits and all the damned soules which likewise are without their bodies vntill the day of iudgement then their bodies also shall burne with them for all eternity Alas miserable sinners this is the place appointed and prepared for you where you shal burne with all the accursed crue of diuells for euer except you amend your liues and by repentance turne vnto God That fire shall burne for euer and neuer be extinguished Nutrimenta eius ignis c. The nutriment therof is fire and much wood neither shall there want one daily to blow it for the breath of our Lord like a torrent of brimstone doth kindle it But you must by no means suppose or thinke that there is wood in hell necessary to encrease the fire but the sacred scripture speaketh so to this end that it may be presēted more liuely vnto our vnderstāding which better comprehends and perceaueth naturall thinges neither can wee but say the diuells and soules before iudgement and the bodies of the damned after iudgement be vnderstood by wood for euen as the wood shall be cast into the fire so the diuels and the damned spirits before the day of iudgemēt and their bodies after shal be cast into the same O wonderfull miserie and calamitie whereinto a sinner falleth seeing that he must go downe into hell where he shal burne for euer and euer and neuer be consumed Thinke with thy selfe that thou cannest not without marueilous paine hould thy fingar in this our fire for the space of one Aue Maria but according to the opinion of the Doctors this our fire being compared with the fire of hell is like a painted fire O ineffable miserie Put thy fingar a while to a painted fire and thou shalt perceaue no sensible paine but thrust it into a reall fire and thou shalt not be able to endure the same So truly stādeth the case here for so mightie and so forcible is the fire of hell and tormenteth the soule in such sort and so intolerably as that suppose any one could deliuer and take a soule out of hell fire and cast it into some burning furnace of our fire the soule would imagine it to be no other thing then a recreation or some sweet